Is the CPL (Polarizing Filter) Needed?

[Velvetfoot]

I have one on order along with the A119V3, but I wonder if there is consensus on whether it's really needed or not.
The lens seems to be located close to the windshield in the wedge format.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I have one on order along with the A119V3, but I wonder if there is consensus on whether it's really needed or not.
The lens seems to be located close to the windshield in the wedge format.

Will depend on car, but most find them very helpful.

 

[SawMaster]

If it's significantly more to buy afterwards, just go ahead and get it with the cam. No great loss if it works better without it and can be a gift from the gods when you do need it. It will darken the night-time vids somewhat so that's something to try out as well.

Phil

 

[kamkar]

The most optimal is to have a top of the dashboard that is not reflective from the factory, or put a flat black dashmat there as a aftermarket solution, and then in 3 place come the CPL which most people still end up with for good reasons.
But a CPL do take a little light, but with the sensors of today that is a very minor issue.
And you do not get a non reflective dash top from any factory, and a dashmat are not the most pretty thing even if designed for the car, but for the down to earth driver it is a good solution.
So most end up with the CPL filter, and they do also take away the most annoying reflections, but really bad ones they can not handle as in make them go away.

Personally as a addict i run both CPL filters and a DIY dashmat as no one make such things for my obscure little red Suzuki car.

 

[DT MI]

...The lens seems to be located close to the windshield in the wedge format.

Surprisingly the lens being closer to the glass actually makes reflections worse in most cases. I've done some testing to confirm this as I too thought that closer to the glass would reduce reflections but that's not the case.

 

[kamkar]

what dt mi say

 

[benjos]

I don't use the A119 V3, but I recommend a CPL to reduce glare and reflections from the windshield so what you want to see and record is actually recorded.

 

[Tony lovelock]

I have had one on my nextbase 412gw & now my 422gw, it has almost removed the reflection of the windscreen I'd say approx 90% but above each vehicle varies regards to reflections etc

 

[Fielder]

I wish I knew which Youtube video showed before and after dashcam vids showing after he installed a custom $14 carpet dashboard mat from China off of eBay. Made a huge difference in image quality.

Here's another video, not the one which I can't find now.

Installation videos show 5 minutes to install a mat, because you do not remove the old dash, just velvro the new custom mat on top.

 

[kamkar]

It been many years since the first guy in here spray painted his black dashmat with flat black paint.
My DIY mat have also faded a lot in the 2 years, it ill be damned if i can find the leftover material i made it off.
Still even faded it is a lot better than the charcoal semi gloss plastics of my dashboard top.

No one make a dashmat for my little obscure Suzuki car, simply not a popular enough model to make that worthwhile.

 

[benjos]

we need Vantablack or carbon nanotubes for dashboards

 

[Fielder]

This looks interesting, seems to good to be true... I just noticed a review on Amazon where he used a tiny piece of mouse pad material to block glare.
Here's the amazon item, review is by guy named goodfaith...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B07GV3NB69
" Most of the reflections come from the dash, so a work-around solution is to insert something at the bottom of the lens to shield it from reflections coming from beneath (see photo). I cut a piece from an old mouse pad. It's a big improvement."

 

[Dashmellow]

It been many years since the first guy in here spray painted his black dashmat with flat black paint.
My DIY mat have also faded a lot in the 2 years, it ill be damned if i can find the leftover material i made it off.

Yeah, that was me as you may recall and the Rust-Oleum Ultra Flat Black Camouflage paint I used has not faded noticeably at all and it's been five years now. The dash mat still works perfectly and has held up really well.

This looks interesting, seems to good to be true... I just noticed a review on Amazon where he used a tiny piece of mouse pad material to block glare.
Here's the amazon item, review is by guy named goodfaith...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B07GV3NB69
" Most of the reflections come from the dash, so a work-around solution is to insert something at the bottom of the lens to shield it from reflections coming from beneath (see photo). I cut a piece from an old mouse pad. It's a big improvement."

Unfortunately, that idea is "too good to be true" as that little piece of rubber will only block a minuscule section of the dashboard reflection seen on the windshield by the wide angle camera lens.

I highly recommend buying a dash mat for your vehicle if reflections are a problem for you. A dash mat alone will effectively remove virtually all major reflections from your windshield. Even better is a dash mat combined with a CPL which is "killer".

Whenever this subject comes up I roll out this old image because of how well it illustrates the effectiveness of a good dashmat. The image is of a dashmat alone with no CPL. I had left a "Pay & Display" parking lot voucher on my dashboard and it reflects quite badly but the rest of the windshield reflections are completely eliminated by the mat where it counts. If you look closely you'll see a reflection of my defroster vent which is not covered because of a pre-cut hole in the custom mat but it is not anywhere in the image where it creates a problem.



There are various specialty companies that sell dash mats and you can find them on amazon. Avoid the ones made of carpeting and go for the suede type. The carpet ones are often made with shiny fibers that can still reflect light onto the glass.
The flat black paint was an experiment that far exceeded my expectations in its performance, appearance and longevity but it isn't really necessary.

https://www.autoanything.com/dash-mats/10a52989.aspx

https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/dash-covers

https://www.carid.com/dash-covers.html

https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Dashboard-Covers/DashMat-Dashboard-Cover?set-vehicle=1

 

[Dashmellow]

No one make a dashmat for my little obscure Suzuki car, simply not a popular enough model to make that worthwhile.

What model and year Suzuki do you have?

 

[Velvetfoot]

They may do the job, but are pretty hideous, as far as I can tell.
I don't live in the Sunbelt, so maybe they're a 'thing' there.

 

[Dashmellow]

When I first installed a dashmat I was afraid it would look pretty ugly but it turned out not to be bad at all. In fact, it didn't take long until I hardly even noticed it and passengers rarely mention it except a few people ask where to get one.
The key is to find one that looks decent in the first place. I recommend the suede type because they reflect less than some of the others and they are thin but it is also much nicer looking to begin with than the thick carpet ones which are indeed pretty hideous. The fact that it is so extremely effective is the final deciding factor for me. Also, I drive a pick-up truck; I might feel different if I drove a different sort of vehicle.

P.S. I don't live in a sunbelt region either but if you have a dash cam, windshield reflections are a problem for everyone.

 

[kamkar]

It a a 2912 Suzuki Splash i drive.
I think Opel make it too and called it the Agila
And i think someone mention someone in india also made it inder ? name.

It was also a suede like fabric i made mine of, same stuff used for black backgrounds my photographers and theaters.

 

[matti]

We have been using black thick fabric in front of the windshield for 30 years.
The blanket takes the glitch from the windshield and sees the ride better.
Such a model in China has been 5 years.
If I use a CLP filter on my camera, I need to adjust it correctly. I don’t really think a CLP filter could always remove all reflections, without adjustment.
Xukey Dashboard Cover Dashmat Dash Mat. This eliminates reflections. Improves the driver's view. The goods remain in place. It is admirably stylish. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...ey+Dashboard+Cover+Dashmat+Dash+Mat+&_sacat=0

This has been translated by translate.google

 

[Dashmellow]

It a a 2912 Suzuki Splash i drive.
I think Opel make it too and called it the Agila
And i think someone mention someone in india also made it inder ? name.

It was also a suede like fabric i made mine of, same stuff used for black backgrounds my photographers and theaters.

Well, now that I know you drive a 2912 it explains why you can't find a dash mat for it! You'll have to wait a several hundred years for the aftermarket to kick in.

The reason I asked was because some of the dashmat suppliers offer many options for different Suzuki models going back many years so I thought maybe I could find one but I think you are right since I couldn't find one. Maybe the car was sold under a different name in the US? I've seen Suzukis that look like yours.

Here was one search example:
If you picked a certain model you'd then be given a year to choose.

 

[kamkar]

I dont think it was sold in the US, only euro and asia it seem.

Also called	Opel Agila Vauxhall Agila Maruti Suzuki Ritz Changhe SPLA Siemens MovE (electric)
Production	2008–2014 (Japan and Europe) 2009–2016 (India)
Assembly	Hungary: Esztergom (Magyar Suzuki) India: Manesar (Maruti Suzuki) China (Changhe Suzuki)

I dont even think a American would see his worst enemy drive a car like mine, too undignified when you take him out.